What to do in an Earthquake when you are Indoors

 

• DROP to the ground,
• Take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture, and
• HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there isn't a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building
• If you are in bed, stay in bed and cover your head with a pillow unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safest place
•  Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture
• Do not use a doorway
• Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Do not exit a building during the shaking. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave
• DO NOT use the elevators
• Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on 

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 What to do in an Earthquake when you are Outside

• Stay outside. Do not enter a building.
• Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires
• Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits, and along exterior walls.

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What to do in an Earthquake if you are inside of a Vehicle

• Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle with the seat belt on
• Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires
• Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by an earthquake 

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 After an Earthquake 

• Check yourself and others for injuries. Provide first aid for anyone who needs it if you are trained and comfortable doing so
• Check water, gas, and electric lines for damage. If any are damaged, shut off the valves. 
• Stay away from downed power lines. Assume all electrical wires are energized 
• Check for the smell of gas. If you smell it, open all the windows and doors, leave immediately, and report it to the authorities
• Turn on the radio. Don't use the phone unless it's an emergency
• Stay out of damaged buildings
• Be careful around broken glass and debris. Wear boots or sturdy shoes to keep from cutting your feet
• Be careful of chimneys (they may fall after the earthquake has ended)
• Stay away from beaches. Tsunamis and seiches sometimes hit after the ground has stopped shaking 
  • A tsunamis is a single sea wave.
  • A seiche (pronounced "saysh") is a series of standing waves in fully or partially enclosed body of water  
• Stay away from damaged areas
• If you're at school or work, follow the emergency plan or the instructions of the person in charge
• Expect aftershocks

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